Minister of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Innovation of Canada Evan Solomon revealed future prospects for enhancing co-operation between Canada and the State of Qatar in the fields of innovation, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation, particularly as both sides prepare to sign a memorandum of understanding before the end of the year aimed at strengthening the digital partnership between the two countries.
In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the occasion of his current visit to Doha, Solomon said the visit is an important opportunity to build on the long-standing relations between the two countries, spanning more than 50 years, and to create new partnerships in vital areas such as innovation and AI, especially since Qatar is currently considered a major regional centre for investment and attracting specialised projects in this field.
The Canadian minister described the relations between Canada and Qatar as strong, built on decades of mutual respect and co-operation. Both sides expressed a desire to build on the achievements of the past 50 years and further develop these relations. He pointed out that the new Canadian government has new strategies, the most important of which is building stronger relations with countries in the region, including Qatar, which is a major regional hub for trade, investment, and vital digital projects.
He added that there are multiple areas of co-operation between Qatar and Canada, and promising opportunities in AI, information technology, digital innovation, telecom, health, agriculture, cybersecurity, and other important sectors.
He said there is an urgent need in today’s world to diversify trade partnerships and not limit them to traditional areas, especially since Canada has a large number of free trade agreements in the world, adding that it is very important to continue expanding relations with Qatar.
The minister stated that the near future will witness a greater Canadian presence in Qatar through qualitative partnerships and projects focused on innovation, technology, and digital transformation, noting the importance of intensifying bilateral meetings to build more sustainable relations.
He explained to QNA the great potential of the two countries to create major partnerships in the field of AI and digital innovation, driven primarily by the existing co-operation in these areas, especially with the presence of several Canadian companies in Qatar working in this field, including Cohere, a Canadian multinational technology company focused on AI.
It is one of only four countries in the world that have large language models companies such as ChatGPT and Anthropic. Cohere is working on a model in Arabic and is cooperating in the region with partners to provide safe and secure solutions, along with BlackBerry, a globally known company in the field of cybersecurity.
He also spoke about areas of co-operation in the education and training sector, which focuses on these modern disciplines of innovation and AI, through collaboration between specialised institutions in both countries. He explained that he will hold discussions in this regard with the Qatar Foundation to collaborate on education, AI, energy, and digital innovation.
He pointed to the importance of co-operation with Canada in these areas, as it is a global leader in the field of AI. It is home to three of the most prominent scientists, described as the founding fathers of AI, all of whom lead major research institutions that have contributed to the global development of this sector.
HE the Minister added that Canada was the first country to have a national AI strategy in 2017, based on the principles of trust, transparency, and security, under the slogan ‘AI for All.’ Canada also established the AI Safety Institute to ensure the safe and responsible use of modern technologies.
Based on this premise, he explained the signing of the anticipated memorandum of understanding between the two sides will open new horizons for co-operation between Canadian and Qatari companies and contribute to building joint investment partnerships. He added that Canada intends to send delegations from its major investment funds to Doha to explore investment opportunities in the technology and innovation sectors.
He also pointed out that Qatar has significant potential to advance areas related to digital transformation and AI, as it possesses extensive experience in various fields and entrepreneurs who are deeply interested in these vital sectors. Therefore, it is currently important to build long-term relationships in this area and not only pursue quick opportunities.
The Minister of AI and Digital Innovation of Canada Evan Solomon also noted Doha’s ability to host a significant number of regional and international events and conferences focused on information technology and AI, which has made Qatar a key regional hub for knowledge exchange and economic development, not only for the region but for the entire world.
This has strengthened Qatar’s growing role in technology, which greatly encourages Canada to participate in and support this momentum.
In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the occasion of his current visit to Doha, Solomon said the visit is an important opportunity to build on the long-standing relations between the two countries, spanning more than 50 years, and to create new partnerships in vital areas such as innovation and AI, especially since Qatar is currently considered a major regional centre for investment and attracting specialised projects in this field.
The Canadian minister described the relations between Canada and Qatar as strong, built on decades of mutual respect and co-operation. Both sides expressed a desire to build on the achievements of the past 50 years and further develop these relations. He pointed out that the new Canadian government has new strategies, the most important of which is building stronger relations with countries in the region, including Qatar, which is a major regional hub for trade, investment, and vital digital projects.
He added that there are multiple areas of co-operation between Qatar and Canada, and promising opportunities in AI, information technology, digital innovation, telecom, health, agriculture, cybersecurity, and other important sectors.
He said there is an urgent need in today’s world to diversify trade partnerships and not limit them to traditional areas, especially since Canada has a large number of free trade agreements in the world, adding that it is very important to continue expanding relations with Qatar.
The minister stated that the near future will witness a greater Canadian presence in Qatar through qualitative partnerships and projects focused on innovation, technology, and digital transformation, noting the importance of intensifying bilateral meetings to build more sustainable relations.
He explained to QNA the great potential of the two countries to create major partnerships in the field of AI and digital innovation, driven primarily by the existing co-operation in these areas, especially with the presence of several Canadian companies in Qatar working in this field, including Cohere, a Canadian multinational technology company focused on AI.
It is one of only four countries in the world that have large language models companies such as ChatGPT and Anthropic. Cohere is working on a model in Arabic and is cooperating in the region with partners to provide safe and secure solutions, along with BlackBerry, a globally known company in the field of cybersecurity.
He also spoke about areas of co-operation in the education and training sector, which focuses on these modern disciplines of innovation and AI, through collaboration between specialised institutions in both countries. He explained that he will hold discussions in this regard with the Qatar Foundation to collaborate on education, AI, energy, and digital innovation.
He pointed to the importance of co-operation with Canada in these areas, as it is a global leader in the field of AI. It is home to three of the most prominent scientists, described as the founding fathers of AI, all of whom lead major research institutions that have contributed to the global development of this sector.
HE the Minister added that Canada was the first country to have a national AI strategy in 2017, based on the principles of trust, transparency, and security, under the slogan ‘AI for All.’ Canada also established the AI Safety Institute to ensure the safe and responsible use of modern technologies.
Based on this premise, he explained the signing of the anticipated memorandum of understanding between the two sides will open new horizons for co-operation between Canadian and Qatari companies and contribute to building joint investment partnerships. He added that Canada intends to send delegations from its major investment funds to Doha to explore investment opportunities in the technology and innovation sectors.
He also pointed out that Qatar has significant potential to advance areas related to digital transformation and AI, as it possesses extensive experience in various fields and entrepreneurs who are deeply interested in these vital sectors. Therefore, it is currently important to build long-term relationships in this area and not only pursue quick opportunities.
The Minister of AI and Digital Innovation of Canada Evan Solomon also noted Doha’s ability to host a significant number of regional and international events and conferences focused on information technology and AI, which has made Qatar a key regional hub for knowledge exchange and economic development, not only for the region but for the entire world.
This has strengthened Qatar’s growing role in technology, which greatly encourages Canada to participate in and support this momentum.